Healthcare devours my money faster than the very hungry caterpillar ate his way through Saturday

It is so expensive being a woman.

I had to see my gynaecologist, whose appointment I've been pushing further and further because I had to see my GP first and there wasn't money for everything at once.

The medical aid pays for nothing. Government does nothing to lighten the burden and fight for women's health. The price of everything increases, but my pay doesn't.

Urine dipstick test (could have done at home), weigh-in, blood sugar strip (could have done at home), blood pressure, feel the breasts, feel the abdomen, feel the thyroid/swallow, little condom for the probe and a transvaginal ultrasound, and tissue to wipe myself. And two instax photos.

Without a pap smear, without blood works and tumour marker test - which I'll have to pay myself. And definitely can't afford now.

I'm supposed to go twice a year: one full check, the other a quick check. I just can't.

I've just received an account from the gynaecologist's office.

R3000/€156/£136.

I want to cry.

When my IUD needs to be changed, which I'm pushing for for next year (but now it doesn't serve as a contraceptive anymore), that's R5000/€416/£362.

The HPV vaccine that I'm taking, all as a preventative, is R8000/€260/£227.

Why can't screenings and preventative measures be better priced for us? Isn't prevention better than cure? Can we not just catch a break?

I finally had some money in my bank account to breathe a tad and spend it on a little TLC for me and now... phew, there it's gone in a flash.

Another day of dismay at women's healthcare.